An Analysis Of Herzog's Spiritual Maturity Process In Saul Bellow's Herzog

Saul Bellow is considered as one of the most prominent American Jewish novelists; in 1976, Bellow was the winner of Nobel Prize for Literature for his"human understanding and subtle analysis of contemporary culture that are combined in his work"(Kazin 10). In Bellow's sixth novel, Herzog, the protagonist Herzog underwent his spiritual journey from initial nerve breakdown to later peace; Herzog never gives up hope in life, and persists in seeking life meaning and the truth of life. Herzog is a typical intellectual who struggles in modern society and shows us the living and psychological state of modern western intellectuals in predicament.By a close reading of the novel, the author intends to analyze Herzog's spiritual maturity process. In Chapter One, the author mainly introduces Saul Bellow's main concern in Herzog, Bellow is concerned about the authentic existence and explores existence dignity and significance of human beings, who shared similar viewpoints with existentialists. In Chapter Two, the author mainly discusses causes of the protagonist's various problems in life, which can be divided into inner aspect and outer aspect such as the confusion in American society and culture. Chapter Three presents conditions and signs of Herzog's spiritual maturity and successful restoration:the brotherhood of his family, Ramona's love, Herzog's clear realization on freedom, responsibilities and death, his optimism, his consistent kindness, humanity and ambitions help him re-gain confidence and re-establish his self-identity; finally Herzog abandons his shooting impulse, which indicates he chooses forgiveness, love and tolerance as the relieving method instead of hatred to lead him out of destruction abyss. Herzog returns to the society, and then achieves his psychological tranquility.On the basis of above-mentioned analysis, the author concludes that Herzog's suffering and spiritual maturity process give great hints to modern people in predicament and that Herzog's struggling process not only represents that of an intellectual but also each common person in modern civilization; the spiritual traits of characters reflected by contradictory problems in the novel are those of each person in modern society, which is Bellow's main concern; the analysis of protagonist's spiritual maturity process is beneficial to understanding Saul Bellow's novels which generally concentrate on human beings'existential state.